Pine-Richland’s Cole Spencer tabbed state’s Class 5A Player of the Year

By: Bill Hartlep
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 | 1:00 PM

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Postseason honors continue to roll in for Pine-Richland’s Cole Spencer.

After leading the Rams to WPIAL and PIAA championships this fall, the senior quarterback was named the state’s Class 5A Player of the Year on Wednesday in a vote by Pennsylvania football writers.

The Trib HSSN Football Player of the Year, Spencer led the WPIAL in passing by completing 157 of 221 attempts for 2,626 yards and 33 touchdowns as the Rams ended up 11-0.

In his three years as starting quarterback at Pine-Richland, Spencer finished with a 32-5 record with two WPIAL titles and one PIAA championship. Spencer plans to continue his wrestling career at Penn.

Joining him on the Class 5A all-state team were four senior teammates — wide receiver Eli Jochem, offensive lineman Harrison Hayes, defensive lineman Miguel Jackson and linebacker Luke Miller.

In addition, Pine-Richland’s Eric Kasperowicz was named the state’s Coach of the Year.

Jochem caught 64 passes for 1,271 yards and 18 touchdowns. He holds Rams’ career records for receptions and yards.

Hayes is a Division I Liberty recruit who helped the Rams produce more than 4,700 yards on offense.

Jackson, a Charlotte recruit, had 54 tackles and 12 1/2 sacks. He received the Bill Fralic Memorial Award as the WPIAL’s top lineman.

Miller, a Kent State recruit, had 105 tackles, including 19 for a loss. He had a Rams’ single-game record 23 tackles in the PIAA semifinals and made 19 in the state championship game.

South Fayette and Peters Township each had two players selected all-state in Class 5A.

For the Lions, senior wide receiver Charley Rossi, a Princeton recruit, had 49 catches for 711 yards and five scores. Also, junior kicker Justin Caputo kicked four field goals and 21 extra points.

WPIAL finalist Peters Township was represented by senior linebacker Corban Hondru, a Miami (Ohio) recruit who made 53 tackles, and senior safety Donovan McMillon, a Florida recruit and four-star prospect who had 59 tackles.

Gateway running back Derrick Davis, the WPIAL’s top college prospect, made his third appearance on the all-state team. The LSU recruit ran for 747 yards and had 18 catches for 346 yards, with 11 total touchdowns.

Upper St. Clair senior quarterback Ethan Dahlem threw for 1,567 yards and 14 TDs and also ran for 385 yards and five scores.

Penn-Trafford senior Ethan Carr, a Villanova recruit, was picked as an athlete. The quarterback/defensive back threw for 1,027 yards and 16 TDs, ran for 700 yards and nine scores and also made 36 tackles on defense.

The all-state teams for Class 4A, 5A and 6A were released Wednesday. The honorees for Class A, 2A and 3A were announced Tuesday.

2020 Pa. Football Writers All-State Team

Class 5A

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Joey McCracken, Warwick, 6-4, 195, sr.

Micah Brubaker, Mechanicsburg, 6-1, 185, sr.

Ethan Dahlem, Upper St. Clair, 5-10, 175, sr.

Quinn Wentling, Whitehall, 5-11, 195, jr.

Cole Spencer, Pine-Richland, 5-10, 175, sr.

Running back

Colton Miller, Warwick, 6-4, 215, sr.

Derrick Davis, Gateway, 6-1, 185, sr.

Nick Singleton, Governor Mifflin, 6-0, 205, jr.

Wide receiver

Owen Sensenig, Manheim Central, 5-10, 185, jr.

Alex Rufe, Lebanon, 5-11, 185, sr.

Charley Rossi, South Fayette, 5-8, 175, sr.

Christian Sapp, East Stroudsburg South, 6-0, 190, sr.

Eli Jochem, Pine-Richland, 6-0, 180, sr.

Tight end

Thatcher Miller, Warwick, 6-4, 225, sr.

Offensive line

Harrison Hayes, Pine-Richland, 6-5, 285, sr.

Nolan Rucci, Warwick, 6-8, 300, sr.

Jaheim Bassham, Cathedral Prep, 6-3, 277, sr.

Ryan Lain, Marple-Newtown, 6-3, 260, sr.

Dominic Sheidy, Governor Mifflin, 6-2, 290, sr.

Athlete

Ethan Carr, Penn-Trafford, 6-3, 205, sr.

Randy Fizer, Red Lion, 6-0, 170, sr.

DEFENSE

Defensive Line

Miguel Jackson, Pine-Richland, 6-2, 265, sr.

Anthony Smith, Shippensburg, 6-7, 265, jr.

Jett Kelly, Elizabethtown, 6-1, 220, sr.

Jaydon Smith, Cathedral Prep, 6-4, 235, sr.

Tyree Morris, Mechanicsburg, 6-6, 230, sr.

Cam’Ron Stewart, Governor Mifflin, 6-5, 240, sr.

Linebacker

Brandon Strausser, Governor Mifflin, 6-0, 210, sr.

J.R. Straus, Exeter, 6-3, 215, jr.

Bobby Walters, Elizabethtown, 6-1, 175, sr.

Corban Hondru, Peters Township, 6-1, 225, sr.

Luke Miller, Pine-Richland, 6-2, 205, sr.

Defensive back

Caleb Schmitz, Warwick, 6-4, 210, sr.

James Anderson, Mechanicsburg, 5-10, 150, sr.

Micah Bootman, Upper Dublin, 5-10, 175, sr.

Donovan McMillon, Peters Township, 6-2, 190, sr.

Specialist

Billy McNitt, Elizabethtown, 6-3, 265, sr.

Justin Caputo, South Fayette, 5-10, 175, jr.

Athlete

Charlie Box, Marple Newtown, 5-8, 175, jr.

Player of the year

Cole Spencer, Pine-Richland

Coach of the year

Eric Kasperowicz, Pine-Richland

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Gateway, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, South Fayette, Upper St. Clair